hello Horace, I wouldn't worry about it but if you are worried about balance. Get an angle grinder or file and cut same piece off in exactly opposite side.... If two fins are broken off. I brake two off directly opposite. cheers speedy
........................Keep your blades sharp......................
Those are the alloy fins on the magnet, nothing too major to worry about. Cast iron flywheels usually only start being a problem when people do things like remove governors to increase the revs dramatically, on go karts etc. At higher rpm balance is important, not to mention cast iron is full of air pockets, which lead to major failure.
That flywheel is no where as dangerous as the one I seen here a few years ago where someone had pop riveted one together. Now that one was dangerous. Most flywheels are usually shrouded just in case of breakage so it is contained considerably.
Many of the flywheels I have seen damage have been from techs taking shortcuts or not using the proper tools. So far in the 11 yrs of professionally servicing small engines I have only seen one flywheel failure. And it was this year when I came across a Briggs flywheel where the flywheel slipped from being under torque and the flywheel instead of shearing had rolled busting the center of the flywheel. This was an older design of the 21,28, 31, and 33 flywheel which Briggs redesign to make things better.
One biggest problems with DIYers and some techs is that they either under torque the flywheels or use an impact gun (rattle gun) to tighten these flywheels which induces problems. Another thing that makes me cringe is the use of a screwdriver or other object stuck in the fins so they can tighten the retaining nut or screw of the flywheel.
Personally I would never use a damage flywheel. I have replaced several old Briggs flywheels that were damage by hammers where someone was trying to remove the starter clutches. Of course I have that removal and installation tool in my tool now collecting dust.
in thousands of machines over the years I have had one briggs and stratton flywheel explode and it was all contained within the starter cowling, there was no apparent reason for it letting go, the part that wrote the engine off was a broken piece of flywheel did snap the ignition coil mount off.
I'd be happy to replace the flywheel if I could find one. I know its a discontinued part and the only 2nd hand ones I've been able to find are in the USA. Postage is very expensive so I'll keep trying to find one in Australia.
If anyone has a flywheel for a 7HP 1979 Briggs model 170432 for sale please let me know.
MF - that's Aussie ingenuity - Speedy did that on a sprinter
Think AVB nearly had a coronary at the time
I wouldn't do it due to potential damage, but there is low risk of bodily damage by it exploding since its all contained in the cowl. Biggest risk is a chuck hitting you in the eye
Now I knew someone would find the post here. And no I have found that bad here yet but with extremely lightweight Briggs flywheels it happen at anytime. I got one those flywheels in the recovered parts bin that is in nearly new condition where the idiot brought the mower from Walmart, put gas in it and started mowing his lawn. In less than 30 thirty minutes he bent the crankshaft and threw the rod. The rod broke and put a hole in the crankcase all because never put oil in the engine.